How to Build a Pond

Step by Step Instructions to Build a Pond

1. Use a garden hose to lay out the design of your pond. It is heavy and flexible enough to create soft curves that won’t move unless you want it to.
2. Start digging from the centre outwards.
3. Use the dirt to create landscaping around your pond. eg: a waterfall.
4. If you plan to use a pump dig the area you will put your pump a little deeper to help create better water circulation.
5. Consider digging marginal shelves into your pond to create different depths – being most shallow at the edges.
6. Check your pond bed for any protruding stones, roots or anything that could damage your pond liner.
7. You should make allowance for putting in 2″ of sand across your pond bed to help protect the liner from roots and stones. Sprinkle this lightly with water and tread it down smooth.
8. Lay your protective pond fleece over the pond bed.
9. Carefully lay your pond liner over the fleece. Smooth out any wrinkles and make sure there is plenty of excess liner around all the edge.
10. Now you are ready to fill your pond with water. As it slowly fills smooth out wrinkles where they occur.
11. Once your pond has been completely filled you can trim the edges of the pond liner with a sharp knife or a strong pair of scissors. Hide the overlap around your pond with stones or plants or dig a small trench and bury the edges in it.
12. Make sure that the edge of your pond is at least 10% higher than the ground around it. This will prevent water running into the pond that is contaminated with fertilisers from your garden.